Summary
- Some games present morally ambiguous decisions with lasting consequences, leading to player doubt and regret.
- Choices in games like Detroit: Become Human and The Walking Dead create emotional impact and regret.
- The regret in games like BioShock and Skyrim stems from permanent decisions and missed opportunities.
There are cases when the most difficult boss in a game is not the toughest enemy; it's personal guilt. Most games punish indecisive actions, but some games put the player through morally ambiguous choices that have lasting consequences. These are the scenes that linger, even after the screen goes black. It can be the decision about who will survive, who will die, or what type of person players want to be in the game's world, but some decisions make an indelible impression on the player, and he or she will never forget it.
8 Best RPGs With Meaningful Choices, Ranked
RPGs are known for giving players agency, but players' choice has real impact in these games.
This list focuses on memorable games that can make a player doubt themselves with just one decision. They are emotional, hurtful, and usually well-designed to make them regret their choices. Some of the decisions initially appeared harmless. Others seemed necessary at the time. Yet ultimately, all of these games caused players to take a step back and exclaim, “What have I done?"
8 Spec Ops: The Line
The Infamous White Phosphorus Decision
Spec Ops: The Line
- Released
- June 26, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
Spec Ops: The Line is a game that entices the player with the visuals and mechanics of a standard military shooter, only to show its true colors as a psychological hell ride. One of the most chilling scenes is the notorious white phosphorus scene, in which the player must use the weapon in order to proceed.
Initially, it seemed like a necessary strategy. However, once the smoke settles, the outcome is a disastrous realization that the player has just slaughtered civilians, and the game does not let them off the hook either after that. It causes them to literally go through the destruction, experience the aftermath, and examine their every step. It is one of the few games that effectively utilizes player agency to create emotional impact.
7 BioShock
The Little Sisters: Harvest Or Save
BioShock
- Released
- August 21, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- FPS
BioShock allows the player to choose between harvesting or rescuing the Little Sisters, troubling mutated children that carry valuable ADAM. The act of harvesting gives more immediate power, whereas saving them gives long-term benefits and moral redemption.
The catch? The game does not simply say that these are “just mechanics.” It humanizes the atrocity of the player's choice, makes the girls tremble with fear in their eyes, and displays the outcome of their choice in the game's endings. Gamers who harvested would regularly demonstrate immediate regret as the game gradually revealed the emotional and story-based heft of their decision.
6 Detroit: Become Human
All Life Or Death Choices
Detroit: Become Human
- Released
- May 25, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Detroit: Become Human lives off choices. Whether it is minor dialogue choices or huge life-and-death scenes, each choice splits the story in a dramatic way. The strength of regret in this particular case lies in the fact that everything feels so real—these androids are characterized by human subtlety, and their decisions have a direct impact on their destiny.
It could be Connor's sacrifice, whether Kara and Alice escape or not, or even the choice of whether Markus will initiate a revolution or a peaceful protest. There is always that one decision that players immediately regret not being able to take back. The best part? The game presents players with a timeline breakdown of what might have occurred, which adds to that sting of regret.
5 Pokemon Blue, Red, And Yellow
Charmander, Squirtle, Or Bulbasaur?
Pokemon Red
- Released
- February 27, 1996
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, JRPG
This one has a bit of a hidden meaning, but any longtime fan of Pokemon will be able to speak to the amount of regret that still hangs in the air concerning their very first Pokemon choice. No matter which one they chose between Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, they likely instantly began to question whether the other two would have made the adventure easier or more memorable.
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Every starter significantly impacts their early-game experience, and it is a permanent decision. It is what it is, and when players look at their rival showcasing their unchosen Pokemon later on in the game, that doubt stings. It is a mild yet enduring form of regret that is based upon nostalgia and the fear of missing out on something.
4 The Walking Dead (Telltale)
Deciding Who Dies And Who Lives
The Walking Dead
- Released
- April 24, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Graphic Adventure, Horror
The Walking Dead series by Telltale Games is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, and no choice is ever truly safe. In the beginning, the player is forced to make a choice of whom to rescue; Carley or Doug. It seems like a needed, rational decision—until the repercussions come back to haunt them.
Great Games Where Your Decisions Truly Matter
The following games stand out for forcing players to make tough decisions that can drastically change the story.
All character deaths are permanent and have a lasting impact on subsequent episodes. The game also acts as a constant reminder to the player of their decisions with the feared line of "They will remember that." As the credits start rolling, the full impact of those hasty choices becomes reality. Regret is unavoidable.
3 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Killing Main NPCs Accidentally, Or Was It An Accident?
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
Freedom comes with a price tag in Skyrim. Players can swing their sword or yell "Fus Ro Dah" at practically anyone, even at essential NPCs. The problem? Kill the wrong individual, and whole missions or plot lines will be lost forever.
Most players have at least experienced the casual robbery or killing of what appeared to be a minor character, only to discover hours (or even days) later that they were critical to a vital questline. Skyrim has no rewind button, and it can be a harsh lesson in hindsight to discover that players have irrevocably broken their own story progression without even realizing it.
2 Oxenfree
The Wrong Thing At The Wrong Time
Oxenfree
- Released
- January 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Violence, Sexual Themes, Drug Reference, Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller in which dialogue defines everything, including relationships and the final destination. However, the game is all about gray areas, and there is no clear right answer in conversations. At times, it is simply better to say something rather than nothing at all.
The players often make decisions that seem innocent, only to look back and notice how tremendously they influenced the group dynamic. Friendships are ruined, relationships severed, and personalities grow apart, all over one misjudged line. The gradual realization that they have done so much harm with just words makes the regret in Oxenfree feel personal.
1 Wolfenstein: The New Order
Fergus Or Wyatt? Who Lives And Who Dies?
Wolfenstein: The New Order
- Released
- May 20, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
At the very beginning of Wolfenstein: The New Order, players have to decide what to do with two of their squadmates: Fergus and Wyatt. One has to live. The other has to die. The scene is dramatic and full of moral tension, and yet, what's even worse is what follows.
Every decision creates a whole new timeline with different abilities and cutscenes. Players often experience instant remorse, questioning what they missed out on by not saving the alternate character. It's an effective means of giving consequences a lasting effect when it alters the whole gaming experience.
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